(Topic ID: 320147)
Jennings, LA
Sadly those threads are behind a wall. I need to see if I can remember my KLOV password, it’s been a long time.
Sorry this happened to all of you.
Several impacted folks are on Pinside as well. Caveat emperor and lesson learned about ACH & wire transfers.
I didn't read all 20+ pages, but the gist of it sounds like the guy had photos of games, and "sold" them to people multiple times, then once people started to catch on to the delayed shipping tactics, claimed everything was lost in a fire? 
Then on top of that, other members "vouched" for him before actually completing delivery of a game, which fed into others getting sucked into the scam?
Wow, what a mess.
Correct - he had uber rare titles which blinded some of the scam-dar senses for some. He used the same photos to sell the same item to several folks. Even Michelle at STI mentioned she had games delivered to him several times per month. My initial interactions were smooth and felt "normal", but 3 weeks of refusing to allow STI to pick up coupled with a fire, no money for refunds and each buyer being fed a different story to stall and instill discourse among the community is maddening.
There were several pins involved in the available titles (A+ and NIB examples), but the dollar amount is just staggering.
I am sick and tired of thieves. They are everywhere and not a single jurisdiction/community in America does much about it. I would like it if thieves got one hand cut off for the first offense. One would have to be truly desperate to gamble a limb.
Not to derail this thread, but in my life I’ve had 2 vehicles stolen, a new enclosed trailer full of construction material, an outside air conditioning unit, copper gutters, firearms, computers, tools and bikes. None of this even counts the money from deals being made that never made me whole.
Just the other day, someone crawled under my truck in my driveway and cut off the catalytic converter. Just got my truck out of the shop and it was $900. I’m sure the thief got $50-100 for the stolen part.
Rant over, I’m just absolutely fed up with thieves.
If you want any chance of anyone getting their money or him getting punished:
Document everything. Make police reports with the cops near the perp. If a prosecutor thinks the case is winnable you might get some action.
I’d start with a list of victims and dollar amounts.
The scammer is counting on the victims feeling too ashamed and foolish to go through the trouble of making them pay.
Quoted from AstonEnthusiast:It's a Hallmark movie without the feel good narrative or outcome.
More like a lifetime movie holy crap
So nobody knows where this guys warehouse is? He was going to deliver everything to STI. This is wild.
Quoted from Bud:I am sick and tired of thieves. They are everywhere and not a single jurisdiction/community in America does much about it. I would like it if thieves got one hand cut off for the first offense. One would have to be truly desperate to gamble a limb.
At the very least they need to be put in jail…sadly that just isn’t happening so criminal conduct just expands since there are no meaningful consequences.
The scam calls and texts are really irritating me these days. They just never end. Technology is at a level where they could be stopped altogether easily with some dedicated effort.
Quoted from Bud:Just the other day, someone crawled under my truck in my driveway and cut off the catalytic converter. Just got my truck out of the shop and it was $900. I’m sure the thief got $50-100 for the stolen part.
And the thief thinks you deserve it…in their mind they are the victim for some reason or another they have sold themselves on, not you the actual victim. They just assume you are insured and they laugh, if they think about you at all.
Quoted from YeOldPinPlayer:I’d start with a list of victims and dollar amounts.
The scammer is counting on the victims feeling too ashamed and foolish to go through the trouble of making them pay.
Unfortunately, that is happening right now it seems. Only 5-6 victims came forward and be vocal, the rest are dead silent. Oh well, can't help the unwilling.
I remember this guy. He was offering the arcade community, mostly AZ and CA folks that I know of, tens of thousands of dollars for rare games about 5 or 6 years ago. He bought a ton of rare shit.
It's a fucked up story. Coindork I still can't believe it but then again these things just seems to be happening more often in these great hobbies.
Quoted from ForceFlow:Then on top of that, other members "vouched" for him before actually completing delivery of a game, which fed into others getting sucked into the scam?
That part of this is absolutely mind boggling. Were they just shilling (for whatever weird reason) or knowingly in on the scam?
Quoted from ForceFlow:I didn't read all 20+ pages, but the gist of it sounds like the guy had photos of games, and "sold" them to people multiple times, then once people started to catch on to the delayed shipping tactics, claimed everything was lost in a fire?
Then on top of that, other members "vouched" for him before actually completing delivery of a game, which fed into others getting sucked into the scam?
Wow, what a mess.
I’ll comment on the part about people vouching for him. First and foremost, I NEVER VOUCHED for this walking pieces of garbage.
As sunnRAT mention, this guy came into the arcade scene about 4 years ago (to my recollection).
He had several collectors acting as agents for him buying high end machines and paying way too much money to shake things loose from collectors hands. Frankly I thought the dude was an asshole from the get go. He wanted to offer whatever to buy games I did not want to sell (for any price).
At the beginning I sold a few games to him (though an agent) and after a few transactions I was done.
He committed to a rare arcade game (all original Domino man). At the time I was traveling in Europe and he begged me to sell it to him. We agreed on a price and I told him I would get it out of the garage when I got back from Europe in two weeks. He agreed and in the meantime he bought one from someone else because he could not wait (after begging me to sell it to him when it was not for sale).
IMPORTANT NOTE: all the fucking people that vouched for this piece is shit where people that either a) sold him games b) facilitated selling him games or c) watched his forum activity and saw that he was buying a lot of games.
IMPORTANT NOTE: None of this dudes forum rep was from selling games. All the people that vouched for him where people on the selling end, not the buying end.
Take from that what you will.
This situation is beyond fucked.
I personally know a few people who got burnt really bad on this situation and a couple are going to loose their livelihood over it.
Quoted from Coindork:I’ll comment on the part about people vouching for him. First and foremost, I NEVER VOUCHED for this walking pieces of garbage.
As SunnRAT mention, this guy came into the arcade scene about 4 years ago (to my recollection).
He had several collectors acting as agents for him buying high end machines and paying way too much money to shake things loose from collectors hands. Frankly I thought the dude was an asshole from the get go. He wanted to offer whatever to buy games I did not want to sell (for any price).
At the beginning I sold a few games to him (though an agent) and after a few transactions I was done.
He committed to a rare arcade game (all original Domino man). At the time I was traveling in Europe and he begged me to sell it to him. We agreed on a price and I told him I would get it out of the garage when I got back from Europe in two weeks. He agreed and in the meantime he bought one from someone else because he could not wait (after begging me to sell it to him when it was not for sale).
IMPORTANT NOTE: all the fucking people that vouched for this piece is shit where people that either a) sold him games b) facilitated selling him games or c) watched his forum activity and saw that he was buying a lot of games.
IMPORTANT NOTE: None of this dudes forum rep was from selling games. All the people that vouched for him where people on the selling end, not the buying end.
Take from that what you will.
This situation is beyond fucked.
I personally know a few people who got burnt really bad on this situation and a couple are going to loose their livelihood over it.
Wow, this is awful. Fuck thieves and scammers. I was on KLOV for a lot of years and hate to see this happen. I can't remember my password to get on there now, bummer
Quoted from Dr_Gonzo:Wow, this is awful. Fuck thieves and scammers. I was on KLOV for a lot of years and hate to see this happen. I can't remember my password to get on there now, bummer
It’s terrible.
There’s a few really good guys that are honest enthusiastic collectors that are totally friggin done after this.
Selling their collections and moving out of the hobby.
Quoted from Bud:I am sick and tired of thieves. They are everywhere and not a single jurisdiction/community in America does much about it. I would like it if thieves got one hand cut off for the first offense. One would have to be truly desperate to gamble a limb.
Not to derail this thread, but in my life I’ve had 2 vehicles stolen, a new enclosed trailer full of construction material, an outside air conditioning unit, copper gutters, firearms, computers, tools and bikes. None of this even counts the money from deals being made that never made me whole.
Just the other day, someone crawled under my truck in my driveway and cut off the catalytic converter. Just got my truck out of the shop and it was $900. I’m sure the thief got $50-100 for the stolen part.
Rant over, I’m just absolutely fed up with thieves.
Dang, you’re in Idaho? That sounds exactly like this f-ed up place (CA). I guess I had a misguided perception that Idaho would be a place without all that nonsense. I guess like you said, it’s the whole damn USA. Man we suck.
It probably didn’t hit everyone’s news, but just the other morning the local PD chased a car speeding out of a neighborhood and they ended up like this. And lo and behold the car was full of cut off catalytic converters. And a saw. They are probably out free today I assume.
Quoted from Coindork:It’s terrible.
There’s a few really good guys that are honest enthusiastic collectors that are totally friggin done after this.
Selling their collections and moving out of the hobby.
It's that bad? Surely this guy can be tracked down? If it's nearly 500K wouldn't the FBI be going after him? Damn, wish I could login
Quoted from Dr_Gonzo:Wow, this is awful. Fuck thieves and scammers. I was on KLOV for a lot of years and hate to see this happen. I can't remember my password to get on there now, bummer
Pretty easy to change your password.
Quoted from Dr_Gonzo:It's that bad? Surely this guy can be tracked down? If it's nearly 500K wouldn't the FBI be going after him? Damn, wish I could login
Again, Pretty easy to change your password.
Quoted from Pdxmonkey:Oregon huh… who was it?
scumbag steve (resized).jpgDamn...I definitely texted this dude on a WH20 that was priced low (and he said was sold). Sorry this is panning out the way it has - keep us posted if there's anything we can help with.
Why would anyone send off money for a game they have not seen? This is how you get scammed, Dumas! Don't do that, ever. Never ever.
A super rare title you have to have?!? Then go get it, today. Scammers will make excuses why you can't see it/ buy it today.
I have found 99% of guys with a "Warehouse full of games" are gigantic assholes selling junk that you should avoid completely.
If you sent him cash, you paid your stupid tax. You'll get pity this time.
Next time you'll be met with robust gut laughter, pointing and mocking.
-PC
Quoted from Brtlkat:Pretty easy to change your password.
Quoted from Brtlkat:Again, Pretty easy to change your password.
It appears you've underestimated my laziness
Quoted from PinCup:Why would anyone send off money for a game they have not seen? This is how you get scammed, Dumas! Don't do that, ever. Never ever.
A super rare title you have to have?!? Then go get it, today. Scammers will make excuses why you can't see it/ buy it today.
I have found 99% of guys with a "Warehouse full of games" are gigantic assholes selling junk that you should avoid completely.
If you sent him cash, you paid your stupid tax. You'll get pity this time.
Next time you'll be met with robust gut laughter, pointing and mocking.
-PC
No matter how foolish someone might be for falling for scam, it's still a crime (if not legally, then at least morally).
Use it as a teaching moment, sure, but don't go start victim blaming. That just makes things worse. It deters victims from speaking out, and lets the scammer continue scamming unhindered.
Quoted from Dr_Gonzo:It's that bad? Surely this guy can be tracked down? If it's nearly 500K wouldn't the FBI be going after him? Damn, wish I could login
Damn. I just read that entire thread and it’s a sh!tshow. That Steven guy is a real piece of work too. He’s treating people he stole from like a complete a-hole and people are so scared of losing their money they are walking on egg shells. Meanwhile there’s not a single piece of proof, picture, news article, anything proving there actually was a fire. The guy has no humility whatsoever. Just wow.
Holy shit! Just catching up on this. What an awful situation for everyone who got hosed by this creep.
Next time anyone asks me why I won't ship games and/or only do sales in person with cash, I'm going to link them this thread.
Can’t see the thread but slightly confused - sounds like he gave out his address or at least sti has it? And money was def wired across state lines. Def seems like police would get involved here .. hopefully they do and some money is returned
Quoted from xsvtoys:Dang, you’re in Idaho?
Experience major thefts from all over, Arizona, Texas, Indiana, Oklahoma and Idaho.
I hope those people in the car with stolen cats have some lifetime remorse.
Jesus. $450-500K and 80 people scammed. So on average about $60K per person?
Edit: my math is awful. Still 6K or whatever is a lot of money to lose and I hope this guy is caught and goes to prison.
Quoted from AMSNL:Thats 6k average …
Ah yeah you're right. Obviously I suck at math and it's late. Still terrible though and I hope every person gets every dollar back and this guy gets the max sentence,
I believe the only appropriate action is for the scammer to do the following task in assless chaps.
Hornet removal!
Torrens Park
Quoted from AstonEnthusiast:Several impacted folks are on Pinside as well. Caveat emperor and lesson learned about ACH & wire transfers.
.... don't you mean "caveat emptor"?
Laval, QC
Quoted from OCP2:That’s why I got out of the arcade hobby. I didn’t want to deal with sellers, ran into a lot of weirdos.
Yeah, thankfully there are no weirdos in pinball!
Arcade collectors are a weird bunch. Collecting arcade games? They don’t seem to play them, just like to look at them I guess.
Someone is losing their livelihood because they bought arcade games? I don’t care how “rare” they were, that’s just a dumb fucking life decision buying a domino man game with enough money that it fucks up your life if you lose it.
These guys were going to get scammed out of their money at some point because of poor life choices.
Domino Man? Lol go buy some Arcade1Ups and save money and space.
Quoted from Stuieb84:.... don't you mean "caveat emptor"?
Thank you - long couple of days with minimal sleep. Appreciate having my back.
Yes , in my specific interaction - photos were sent, he was calm (not well spoken), but cordial and answered every one of my questions. The fact that Michelle mentioned she knew he "had" the games because she shipped in hundreds to him put me at ease.
I specifically posted this here to keep folks aware that scams are out there and do happen. Even to those of us who have been around for a long time and you think it will never happen to you. I don't need the victim shaming BS and frankly, it's childish.
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